Women in football – Helena Costa meets the media after becoming France's first ever professional female coach for a male team after her appointment at Clermont Foot.

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Women in football: Helena Costa – The Portuguese coach said: "We are in 2014 so I understand your surprise and the quantity of press and the impact but it should be a normal thing."

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Women in football: Helena Costa – Costa has previously worked with the Iran and Qatar women's national teams, while she also led Benfica's male youth team to two World Youth titles.

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Women in football: Helena Costa – The 36-year-old's appointment represents the first time a team in the top two divisions of one of Europe's big five leagues -- Spain, Germany, England, Italy and France -- has hired a woman manager.

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Women in football: Pia Sundhage – Pia Sundhage is currently in charge of the Sweden women's team, but the former player really made her name as a coach with the U.S. Sundhage led the side to back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012, while she was also named FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2012.

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Women in football: Silvia Neid – Silvia Neid, a former German international, is the current coach of the Germany women's team. She has guided the side to World Cup glory as well as two European Championships. Neid has also twice won FIFA's World Coach of the Year award.

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Women in football: Carolina Morace – Carolina Morace took charge of male Italian Serie C1 team Viterbese for two matches in 1999. The former Italian international has also coached the Italy and Canada women's teams.

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Women in football: Hope Powell – Hope Powell was appointed as the first ever female coach of the England women's team in 1998. During her 15-year reign, she guided the side to qualification for two World Cups and four European Championships. Powell also coached Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics.

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Women in football: Eva Carneiro – Eva Carneiro currently works for Chelsea as the club's first-team doctor. Carneiro joined the Blues in 2009, initially working with the reserves, before being promoted in 2011.

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Women in football: Karren Brady – Karren Brady is the vice chairman at English Premier League club West Ham, arriving at the club in 2010. Brady, who is helping to oversee West Ham's move to London's Olympic Stadium in 2016, is a former managing director of Birmingham City.

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Story highlights

Helena Costa is first female to be given top coaching job in top two tiers of Europe's big five leagues

"Look at me as a normal coach," says the new boss of French club Clermont Foot

The 36-year-old hopes her appointment "can open doors" for other female coaches

The Portuguese coach is dubbed "Mourinho in a skirt" in her home country